Battle of Leyte Gulf
The Battle of Leyte Gulf: 23-26 October 1944 (Bluejacket Books) by Thomas J. Cutler
The last great naval battle of World War II, Leyte Gulf also is remembered as the biggest naval battle ever fought anywhere, and this book has been called the best account of it ever written. First published in hardcover on the battle's fiftieth anniversary in 1994 and drawing on materials not previously available, it blends history with human drama to give a real sense of what happened--despite the mammoth scope of the battle. Every facet of naval warfare was involved in the struggle that engaged some two hundred thousand men and 282 American, Japanese, and Australian ships over more than a hundred thousand square miles of sea.Battle off Samar
25 Oct 1944
Kurita's northern pincer moved through San Bernardino Strait without incident. At about 0600 hours on 25 Oct, Japanese lookouts spotted aircraft on the southeastern horizon that appeared to have just taken off, which hinted presence of American carriers. At 0644, lookouts spotted masts. These masts belonged to a group of six escort carriers, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts whose main responsibility was providing air power for the ground forces on Leyte. This force was part of a larger Task Group consisting of sixteen escort carriers, nine destroyers, and fourteen destroyer escorts divided into three Task Units. Nearest to the attacking Japanese force was TG 77.43, "Taffy 3", the northernmost of the three Task Units that comprised TG 77.4. None of the American vessels carried anything larger than 5-inch guns, and the escort carriers did not possess the speed to outrun Japanese warships.Much has been written about the battle of Leyte Gulf and the Destroyers who screened "Taffy 3" in the battle off Samar. This work by John Wukovits, who specializes in World War II in the Pacific looks to be a good addition to the three previous works I'm familiar with on the topic.
For Crew and Country: The Inspirational True Story of Bravery and Sacrifice Aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts Book Reviews
For Crew and Country: The Inspirational True Story of Bravery and Sacrifice Aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts, by John Wukovits New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2014. Pp. xviii, 350. Illus., maps, notes, biblio., index. $16.99 paper. ISBN: 1250041910.
A small ship and a handful of men in a desperate sea fight against fearful odds.
Commissioned in early 1944, the destroyer escort Samuel B. Roberts (DE 413) was lost off Samar on October 25, 1944, during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. In For Crew and Country Pacific war historian Wukovits gives us an excellent biography of the ship, the men who served on her, and their gallant action on that final day. Wukovits devotes about a third of the book to the origins of the ship and of the men who served on her, giving us many glimpses into their lives, their training, their duties, and their war, which culminated off Samar.
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour by James D. Hornfischer
“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”
With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that represented the last hope of a staggering empire. All that stood between it and Douglas MacArthur’s vulnerable invasion force were the Roberts and the other small ships of a tiny American flotilla poised to charge into history.
The USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS (DE 413) was launched by the U.S. Navy on January 20, 1944, commissioned on April 28, 1944, and sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944. Why would a destroyer escort that existed for less than one year merit a web site? Read on.
Though our crew had only six months in 1944 to get to know one another, we formed bonds that exist today. These bonds will continue, long beyond the time that the last survivor has gone on to join those crew members who were killed when our ship was sunk, so many years ago. Children and other family members have formed strong friendships which will endure.
War is a fascinating subject. Despite the dubious morality of using violence to achieve personal or political aims. It remains that conflict has been used to do just that throughout recorded history.
ReplyDeleteYour article is very well done, a good read.